Aboutthirtyyearsagotherewasatthetopoftheright-handsideofOrangeStreet，inPolchester，alargestonehouse。Isay“was“；
　　theshellofitisstillthere，andthepeoplewhonowliveinitarequiteunaware，Isuppose，thatanythinghashappenedtotheinsideofit，exceptthattheyarecertainlyassuredthattheirfurnitureisvastlysuperiortothefurnitureoftheirpredecessors。
　　Theyhaveagramophone，apianola，andalifttobringtheplatesfromthekitchenintothedining-room，andasmallmotorgarageatthebackwheretheoldpumpusedtobe，andaverymodernrockgardenwhereoncewasthepondwiththefountainthatneverworked。
　　Letthemcherishtheirsatisfaction。Noonegrudgesittothem。TheColeswere，bymodernstandards，old-fashionedpeople，andtheStoneHousewasanold-fashionedhouse。
　　YoungJeremyColewasbornthereintheyear1884，veryearlyinthemorningofDecember8th。HewasstillthereveryearlyinthemorningofDecember8th，1892。Hewassittingupinbed。Thecuckooclockhadjuststruckfive，andhewasawarethathewas，atthisverymoment，forthefirsttimeinhislife，eightyearsold。Hehadgonetobedateighto’clockontheprecedingeveningwiththechokingconsciousnessthathewouldawakeinthemorningadifferentcreature。Althoughhehadslept，therehadpermeatedthetextureofhisdreamsthatsamechokingexcitement，andnow，wideawake，asthoughhehadaskedthecuckootocallhiminorderthathemightnotbelateforthegreatoccasion，hestaredintotheblackdistanceofhisbedroomandreflected，withabeatingheart，uponthegreatevent。Hewaseightyearsold，andhehadasmuchrightnowtothenurseryarm-chairwithaholeinitasHelenhad。
　　Thatwashisfirstdefiniterealisationofapproachingtriumph。
　　ThroughoutthewholeofhisseventhyearhehadfoughtwithHelen，whowasmostunjustlyayearolderthanheandpersistentlyproudofthatinjustice，astohisrighttousethewickerarm-chairwhensoeveritpleasedhim。Sodestructiveofthegeneralpeaceofthehousehadtheseincessantbattlesbeen，sounavailingthesuggestionsofelderlyrelationsthatgentlemenalwaysyieldedtoladies，thatacompromisehadbeenarrivedat。WhenJeremywaseightheshouldhaveequalrightswithHelen。Wellandgood。Jeremyhadyieldedtothat。Itwastheonlydecentchairinthenursery。Intotheplacewherethewicker，yieldingtorudeandimpulsivepressure，hadfallenaway，one’sbodymightbemosthappilyfitted。Itwasofexactlytherightheight；itmadethehandsomestcreakingnoiseswhenonerockedinit——and，inanycase，Helenwasonlyagirl。
　　Butthesenseofhistriumphhadnotyetfullydescendeduponhim。
　　Ashesatupinbed，yawning，withatickleinthemiddleofhisbackandhisthroatverydry；hewasdisappointinglyawarethathewasstillthesameJeremyofyesterday。Hedidnotknowwhatitwasexactlythathehadexpected，buthedidnotfeelatpresentthatconfidentproudgloryforwhichhehadbeenprepared。Perhapsitwastooearly。
　　Heturnedround，curledhisheadintohisarm，andwithahalf-
　　muttered，half-dreamtstatementaboutthewickerchair，hewasonceagainasleep。
　　II
　　Heawoketothecustomarysoundofthebathwaterrunningintothebath。Hisroomwasfloodedwithsunshine，andoldJampot，thenursehernamewasMrs。PrestonandhershapewasJampot，wassayingasusual：“Now，MasterJeremy，eighto’clock；nolyinginbed——out——youget——bath——ready。“
　　Hestaredather，blinking。
　　“Youshouldsay’ManyHappyReturnsoftheDay，MasterJeremy，’“heremarked。Thensuddenly，withaleap，hewasoutofbed，hadcrossedthefloor，pushedbackthenurserydoor，andwassittinginthewickerarm-chair，hisnakedfeetkickingatriumphantdance。
　　“Helen！Helen！“hecalled。“I’minthechair。“
　　Nosound。
　　“I’meight，“heshouted，“andI’minthechair。“
　　Mrs。Preston，breathlessandexclaiming，hurriedacrosstohim。
　　“Oh，younaughtyboy……deathofcold……inyournightshirt。“
　　“I’meight，“hesaid，lookingatherscornfully，“andIcansithereaslongasIplease。“
　　Helen，herpigtailsflappingoneithershoulder，hernosered，asitalwayswasearlyinthemorning，appearedattheoppositeendofthenursery。
　　“Nurse，hemustn’t，musthe？Tellhimnotto。Idon’tcarehowoldyouare。It’smychair。Mothersaid——“
　　“No，shedidn’t。Mothersaid——“
　　“Yes，shedid。Mothersaid——“
　　“Mothersaidthatwhen——“
　　“Oh，youstory。YouknowthatMothersaid——“Thensuddenlyanew，stiffening，trustingdignityfilledhim，asthoughhehadwithaturnoftheheaddiscoveredhimselfingoldenarmour。
　　Hewasabovethisvulgarwranglingnow。Thatwasforgirls。Hewassuperiortothemall。Hegotdownfromthechairandstood，hisheadup，ontheoldTurkeyrugredwithyellowcockatoosinfrontoftheroaringfire。
　　“Youmayhaveyouroldchair，“hesaidtoHelen。“I’meightnow，andIdon’twantitanymore……althoughifIdowantitIshallhaveit，“headded。
　　Hewasasmall，squareboywithapug-nosedface。Hishairwaslightbrown，thinandstiff，sothatitwasdifficulttobrush，andalthoughyouwateredit，stoodupinunexpectedplacesandstaredatyou。Hiseyesweregood，darkbrownandlarge，buthewasinnowayhandsome；hisneck，hisnoseridiculous。Hismouthwastoolarge，andhischinstuckoutlikeahammer。
　　Hewas，plainly，obstinateandpossiblysulky，althoughwhenhesmiledhiswholefacewaslightedwithhumour。HelenwastheonlybeautifulColechild，andshewasabundantlyawareofthatfact。TheColeshadneverbeenagood-lookingfamily。
　　Hestoodinfrontofthefireplacenowashehadseenhisfatherdo，hisshortlegsapart，hisheadup，andhishandsbehindhisback。
　　“Now，MasterJeremy，“theJampotcontinued，“youmaybeeightyearsold，butitisn’tareasonfordisobediencetheveryfirstminute，and，ofcourse，yourbathisreadyandyoucatchingyourdeathwithnakedfeet，whichyou’vealwaysbeentoldtoputyourslippersonandnottokeepthebathwaiting，whenthere’sMissHelenandMissMary，asyouverywellknow，andbreakfastcominginfiveminutes，whichthere’ssausagesthismorning，becauseit’syourbirthday，andthemallgettingcold——“
　　“Sausages！“
　　Hewasacrossthefloorinamoment，hadthrownoffhisnightshirtandwasinhisbath。Sausages！Hewastranslatedintoaworldofexcitementandsplendour。Theyhadsausagessoseldom，notalwaysevenonbirthdays，andto-day，onacoldmorning，withacracklingfireandmarmalade，perhaps——andthenallthepresents。
　　Oh，hewashappy。AsherubbedhisbackwiththetowelawonderfulglowingChristiancharityspreadfromhisheadtohistoesandtingledthrougheveryinchofhim。Helenshouldsitinthechairwhenshepleased；Maryshouldbeallowedtodressandundressthelargewoollendog，knownas“Sulks，“hisownespecialandbelovedproperty，sooftenasshewished；Jampotshouldpokethetwistedendofthetowelinhisearsandbrushhishairwiththehardbrushes，andhewouldnotsayaword。AuntMaryshouldkisshimas，ofcourse，shewouldwanttodo，andhewouldnotshiver；hewouldbravestdeedofallallowMarytoread“AliceinWonderland“inhersing-singvoicesolongasevershewanted……Sausages！
　　Sausages！
　　Inhisshirtandhisshortbluetrousers，hishaironend，tuggingathisbraces，hestoodinthedoorwayandshouted：
　　“Helen，therearesausages——becauseit’smybirthday。Aren’tyouglad？？
　　AndevenwhentheonlyresponsetohisjoyousinvitationwasHelen’svoicecrosslyadmonishingtheJampot：“Oh，youdopullso；you’rehurting！“——hischaritywasnotchecked。
　　Thenwhenhestoodclothedandofacheerfulmindoncemoreinfrontofthefireashynessstoleoverhim。HeknewthatthemomentforPresentswasapproaching；heknewthatveryshortlyhewouldhavetokissandbekissedbyamultitudeofpersons，thathewouldhavetosayagainandagain，“Oh，thankyou，thankyousomuch！“thathewouldhavehisusualconsciousnessofhisinabilitytothankanybodyatallinthewaythattheyexpectedtobethanked。HelenandMaryneverworriedaboutsuchthings。Theydelightedinkissingandhuggingandmultitudesofwords。Ifonlyhemighthavehadhispresentsbyhimselfandthenstolenoutandsaid“Thankyou“tothelotofthemandhavedonewithit。
　　Hewatchedthebreakfast-tablewithincreasingsatisfaction——thelargeteapotwiththeredroses，thedarkblueporridgeplates，theglassjarwiththemarmaladearichyellowinsideit，thehugeloafwiththesoftpiecesburstingoutbetweenthecrustypieces，thesolidsquareofbutter，sobeautifulacolourandmarkedwithalargecowandatreeonthetophehadseenonceinthekitchenthewoodenshapewithwhichthecookmadethishandsomething。Therewerealsohisownsilvermug，givenhimathischristeningbyCanonTrenchard，hisgodfather，andhissilverspoon，givenhimonthesameoccasionbyUncleSamuel。
　　Allthesethingsglitteredandglowedinthefirelight，andakettlewassingingonthehobandMarthathecanarywassinginginhercageinthewindow。Noonereallyknewwhetherthecanarywerealadyoragentleman，butthenamehadbeenMarthaafterabelovedhousemaid，nowmarriedtothegardener，andthesexhadfollowedthename。
　　Therewerealsoalltheotherfamiliarnurserythings。TheholeintheTurkeycarpetnearthebookcase，therocking-horse，veryshinywhereyousitandveryChristmas-tree-likeastoitstail；thedoll’shouse，nowdeserted，becauseHelenwastoooldandMarytooclever；thepicturesof“ChurchonChristmasMorning“everyonewiththeirmouthsverywideopen，singingaChristmashymn，withholly，“DignityandImpudence，“afterLandseer，“TheShepherdsandtheAngels，“and“TheChargeoftheLightBrigade。“SopackedwasthenurserywithhistoryforJeremythatitwouldhavetakenquiteaweektorelateitall。TherewasthespotwherehehadbittentheJampot’sfingers，forwhichdeedhehadafterwardsbeenslipperedbyhisfather；therethecornerwheretheystoodforpunishmentheknewexactlyhowmanyshipswithsails，howmanyridgesofwaves，andhowmanysettingsunstherewereonthatespecialpieceofcornerwallpaper——threeships，twelveridges，twoandahalfsuns；
　　therewastheplacewherehehadbrokentheinkbottleoverhisshoesandthecarpet，therebythewindow，whereMaryhadreadtohimoncewhenhehadtoothache，andhehadnotknownwhetherherreadingorthetoothacheagonisedhimthemore；andsoon，anendlesssequenceofsensationalhistory。
　　HisreminiscenceswerecutshortbytheappearanceofGladyswiththeporridge。Gladys，whowasonlythebetween-maid，butwasneverthelessstout，breathlessfromherclimbandthesentimentoftheoccasion，producedfromadeeppocketadirtyenvelope，whichshelaiduponthetable。
　　“Many’appyreturns，MasterJeremy。“Giggle……giggle……“LordsaveusifI’aven’tgoneandforgottentheyspunes，“andshevanished。Thepresent-givinghadbegun。
　　Hehadaninstant’sstruggleastowhetheritwerebettertowaituntilallthepresentshadaccumulated，orwhetherhewouldtakethemseparatelyastheyarrived。Thedirtyenvelopeluredhim。Headvancedtowardsitandseizedit。Hecouldnotreadveryeasilythesprawlingwritingonthecover，butheguessedthatitsaid“FromGladystoMasterJeremy。“Withinwasamarvellouscard，tiedtogetherwithglisteningcordandshiningwithallthecoloursoftherainbow。ItwasapparentlyasurvivalfromlastChristmas，astherewasachurchinsnowandapealofbells；hewas，nevertheless，veryhappytohaveit。